Fiji water girl sues the manufacturing company responsible for the unauthorised campaigning

Kelleth Cuthbert sues the company for unauthorised campaigning with her ‘viral image’.

Model Kelleth Cuthbert, who rose to fame as the “Fiji Water Girl” during the 76th Golden Globe Awards, filed a lawsuit against the company that made her famous.

Cuthbert, whose real name is Kelly Steinbach was seen on the red carpet holding a tray of Fiji Water bottles in her hand and photobombing all the celebrity pictures.

Kelleth Cuthbert at the Golden Globes 2019 (Image source: Instagram)

Kelleth who helped the company earn USD 12 million - according to her legal team, is now suing Fiji Water for allegedly creating a marketing campaign using her without her authorisation. In the civil complaint, the 31-year-old model alleged that Fiji Water created a “world cardboard cutout marketing campaign” based on the unauthorised use of her “photograph, likeness, and identity.”

According to the Fiji Water Girl, Fiji initially attempted to negotiate an agreement with her agent, but no agreement was set. Soon after, cardboard cutouts of the model appeared in several grocery stores prompting the lawsuit.

Cut out of the model spotted at a department store (Image source: Instagram)

Cuthbert became an inexpert star at the Golden Globes this year, after she appeared in the background of most of the celebrity photographs donning a blue Marchesa dress and passing out Fiji waters to the stars on the red carpet.

Kelleth Cuthbert at the Golden Globes 2019 (Image source: Instagram)

Fiji Water disputed the accusations in a company statement calling the lawsuit “frivolous” and “entirely without merit.” “After the Golden Globes social media moment, we negotiated a generous agreement with Ms. Cuthbert that she blatantly violated,” the statement, obtained by CBS MoneyWatch read. It further mentioned that “We are confident that we will prevail in court. Throughout our history, we have had a sterling reputation working with talent.”